The clinical significance of contrast enhanced computed tomography in acute pancreatitis.

58 patients with alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis were studied by contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT). The patients were divided into groups both on the basis of the clinical course and the prognostic signs. The contrast enhancement curves were then plotted for these patients. All patients with uncomplicated pancreatitis had increased or normal contrast enhancement, whereas all those with fulminant pancreatitis had decreased contrast enhancement of the pancreas. The patients with three, or more prognostic signs had lower enhancement values than those with fewer prognostic signs, but the prognostic signs did not correlate as well with the clinical course as did the contrast enhancement.